Full Moon Promises
by Laeta
Summary: [HoratioCalleigh] Sequel to Nights Under. If anything, the moment for turning back was six months ago when he gave her the choice to meet him for dinner. For him, his choice had been made the moment he walked up to Calleigh in the club.
1. Balcony Request

Disclaimer: It's been a year; hopefully by now everybody knows _CSI: Miami_ does not belong to me.

Author's Note: Wow; a year simply flies by, doesn't it? I missed two deadlines and had a Douglas Adams moment. I will always send my deepest regards to Mr. Hathaway, b8kworm, and SunMee; your collective support means the world to me. So many new friends have been made this year, however, the triad, in particular, must be named: Marianne, kdeb, and Andrea. Finally, I always intended to do a follow up to Nights Under, so here goes. So many, many thanks to Marianne! You rock my world to infinity. Finally, I love my betas.

Summary: If anything, the moment for turning back was six months ago when he gave her the choice to meet him for dinner. For him, his choice had been made the moment he walked up to Calleigh in the club.

Rating: R

Archive(s): Evidence of Things Unseen, Lonely Road, mine. Anybody else, email me; I like to go visiting.

Pairing(s): Horatio/Calleigh

Spoiler(s): None that I'm aware of.

Must read _Nights Under the Full Jazz Moon_ first.

***** ***** ***** 

Title: Full Moon Promises

Author: Laeta  
Email: ladylaeta@yahoo.com

  


Chapter 1: Balcony Request

It was after midnight, he knew. She would be irritated, he would bet on that, too. There were things, though, that needed to fall into place before he let himself go.

Horatio heard her soft footfalls shift loose stones along the front walkway. The night amplified the metal on metal grind of the front door unlocking. He envied the erotic whisper of cool cloth against her skin as she divested herself of her jacket. Feet were bare, he guessed, where there was no echo of shoes on hardwood floors. The creak of planks, she must be coming up the stairs or already in the bedroom.

The clearing of her throat startled him; she always moved faster than he thought. His eyes were still clear so she knew he had not arrived at his intended goal of the evening.

He had spent most of the night out here on the balcony, with an ice bucket and scotch whiskey for company. Once the sun had set, he lit a few candles, but he did not really need them. The moon was full tonight. He had toasted the moon when it rose over the eastern horizon, thanking it for Calleigh as eloquently as he could.

His sketch pad was discarded on the table, a few sticks of charcoal scattered nearby it. He had abandoned it the moment her car rolled into the driveway. She would be looking for him, and she always deserved the whole of his attention.

She had yet to move from the balcony doorway and it was from there that she spoke.

"You look like shit, Handsome."

He chuckled, wryly. "I feel like it, too. Next time, don't leave me to my own devices."

"It couldn't be helped. I'm sorry."

"Don't be, sweetheart." He could not contain his own question, so he asked with a tease. "Did you miss me?"

She was not fooled. "I always miss you, but it sure looks like you missed me."

There was no point in hiding anything from Calleigh. She saw right through him. So he said the one word guaranteed to make her smile. "Absolutely." Then, he added a full smile, and she smiled brilliantly.

He looked at her for the first time since she entered the house. It took him a full five minutes to un-work his tongue. When he did, there was nothing to say, nothing that could ever adequately describe her beauty to him.

"You like?" She teased him verbally and visually, spinning slowly against the doorjamb.

His mind froze one pose and he reached for the sketch pad and a stick of charcoal. For an instant, he stared at the stick before discarding it and searching randomly for another one. Having found the perfect stylus, he hunched over the paper, transcribing the still framed spin onto paper.

He did not notice her trek across the balcony to his side. She used the broad span of his back for support as she settled herself on the armrest of his chair. When he moved to lean back, she moved with him.

He offered the bound pad to her, seeking her opinion.

"You always make me so beautiful." Awe tinged her voice as she studied his work carefully, taking care not to smudge his efforts.

"It's because you are."

She smiled, basking in Horatio's loving attention and flattery. Leaning against him as he lounged in the chair, she motioned to the sketch pad.

"May I? You've been busy tonight."

No matter how many times he said she did not have to ask, she always did. This talent of his was special, near and dear to his heart. She simply did not want to intrude, but that was exactly what Horatio wanted her to do - intrude into every aspect of his life so he was saturated completely with her. Even if that happened, he knew he could never have enough of her.

He shifted Calleigh against him, bringing her down to his lap so he could wrap both arms around her. Her hair was pulled and twisted into a tight bun. Later, Horatio would attribute his lack of judgment to the alcohol; for now, he carefully unwound her hair from its restraints.

She continued to flip through his sketches, studying them, absorbing what she could of the man who created them. He drew them for a reason, captured them because they called to some part of him.

Occasionally, she would stop at one and ask him this or that about it. He would cease the skim of his fingers through her hair and peer over a shoulder. They would discuss it for a while until Horatio would become distracted and return to his massage of her scalp. She ran out of sketches and relaxed against him, enjoying the ministrations.

It hit her then that she had missed him during the evening. It was why she had left the club fairly early and had sought him out. Her irritation rose because, really, no other dance partner could ever be as good as Horatio. The closer she came to him, in his arms now, the annoyance fell away, forgotten. If anything, these girls' nights out were good for creating this moment of quiet.

She was feeling the full moon, though. So, she snuggled into his chest and asked the first question that entered her mind.

"Horatio?"

"Mmm."

"Why charcoal?"

She savored the chuckle that rumbled from deep in his body.

"I expected you to ask why I draw first."

"I like being unpredictable."

"Don't ever change." His arms tightened around her.

In some ways, she knew why he drew. Every mind was a composition of the emotional and of the logical. The flipside was that the more logical the mind, the more emotional. While she had an easy balance of both, Horatio was on the extremes. In his mind, he saw things in perfect three-dimensional clarity, so to counterbalance, he drew in two dimensions. The shadows and lines he used only emphasized the down layering of three to two.

"Hmm, charcoal. I don't really know except I always used it while on the bomb squad. It was easy to draw schematics and circuitry with it. And the texture of sketch paper, the sound of using it -" He trailed off.

Calleigh understood. "It centers you, doesn't it?"

"Not as much as being with you does."

"Charmer." He could hear the pleasure filling her voice.

For fun, he tried again. "Okay. It brought me you."

He was lulling her to sleep; her nearness bewitched his senses. For so many reasons, he wanted to carry her to his bed and seduce her. He willed himself to simply send her home, hiding behind the transparent excuse of drunkenness. 

"Can you give me one good reason?" She challenged him, more concerned than angered.

Horatio nodded, not trusting himself to speak. It was enough for her.

She closed one delicate hand over his mouth. "I don't want to know the reason. I just need to know you have one."

He kissed her hand, again thanking the full moon for its care.

"Twenty-four hours, Calleigh. Give me that and I'll have it out with you." He promised because in that time, he would have the one thing he needed before he could allow himself to think about making love to Calleigh.

  


***** ***** *****  
© RK 10.Nov.2003


	2. Jeweled Perfection

Disclaimer: It's been a year; hopefully by now everybody knows _CSI: Miami_ does not belong to me.

Author's Note: Wow; a year simply flies by, doesn't it? I missed two deadlines and had a Douglas Adams moment. I will always send my deepest regards to Mr. Hathaway, b8kworm, and SunMee; your collective support means the world to me. So many new friends have been made this year, however, the triad, in particular, must be named: Marianne, kdeb, and Andrea. Finally, I always intended to do a follow up to Nights Under, so here goes. So many, many thanks to Marianne! You rock my world to infinity. Finally, I love my betas.

Summary: If anything, the moment for turning back was six months ago when he gave her the choice to meet him for dinner. For him, his choice had been made the moment he walked up to Calleigh in the club.

Rating: R

Archive(s): Evidence of Things Unseen, Lonely Road, mine. Anybody else, email me; I like to go visiting.

Pairing(s): Horatio/Calleigh

Spoiler(s): None that I'm aware of.

Must read _Nights Under the Full Jazz Moon_ first.

***** ***** ***** 

Title: Full Moon Promises

Author: Laeta  
Email: ladylaeta@yahoo.com

  


Chapter 2: Jeweled Perfection

Horatio, in anticipation of the next day's pickup, had arranged for the day off. He was sure that he would not be able to afford the necessary mental capacity needed for work. So, he progressed through the start of his day, slowly, lingering over his thoughts and impressions.

She smiled more, he realized, after their moonlight confessions. Since then, they alternated between quiet nights together, continually moving closer and closer to this point, and wild nights at the club. Although he preferred the quiet nights, the ring in the way Calleigh introduced him reigned him in nicely.

He had told her seriously at the outset that he aimed to court her. So they stepped to the old fashioned rules of the courtship dance. Neither was overly concerned with hurrying to the conclusion. When they arrived, without a doubt, it would be worth the wait and anticipation.

For Horatio, it was becoming harder and harder to walk away from Calleigh each night. When he finally would meander his way home, he would plan the rest of his suit.

It took him a month to find the right stone that reflected the sun off her eyes. It took another month to gather the courage to finally convert the image in his mind to paper. He researched jewelers carefully. This had to last forever; he was not going to take any chances in the craftsmanship.

Once he contracted the jeweler, they slowly fine tuned Horatio's initial concept. Because he had to maneuver almost sneakily, this agonizing process took six weeks. Just as Calleigh left for her solo night at the club, he received the phone call he had been anticipating all week.

He called for a taxi to take him downtown to the jeweler's shop. There, Horatio examined the creation carefully, amazed his wish came true so beautifully. All that was left was to give it to Calleigh. He thanked the jeweler, who wished him all the luck in the world.

Preferring to walk in the midday sun, enjoying its shine without a crime scene to visit, Horatio walked toward the lab. Along the way, he called the restaurant to confirm his reservation for early evening. He wondered when the anticipation would change to nervousness while the rest of his mind moved his body through the doors of the crime lab.

He followed all the procedures for a guest visiting the lab, though they let him wander to Calleigh's bench rather than call her to the waiting room. Taking a moment to watch her through the glass, he thought again that she looked so happy. The artificial light flickered off her hair and the paperweight he had given her on a whim.

Moving to the door, he quietly called, "Knock, knock."

Calleigh whirled to face him, her body glowing in pleasured surprise even before her eyes landed on him.

"I thought you were off today. What are you doing here?"

Horatio walked into the room and leaned against the table, barely touching her. When she opened her body to him, he gently entered her personal space. Soft caresses sent her into a smiling haze.

"I thought I'd relieve the monotony and surprise you. And figure out how difficult it would be to convince you to leave early."

She was laughing, her face utterly transformed by the humor in his words.

"So, your plan, Handsome, was to save me from tedium?"

"In a way. If you'd let me, of course."

They shared a private smile together because, if anything, life was everything but dull as a criminalist in Miami.

She ran her hands along his chest, fiddling with the collar before unbuttoning the top couple of buttons. Calleigh leaned back, fully trusting him to support her, and studied the results of her action.

"So?"

"So, you're going to have some fight on your hands."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"I have a boss who expects nothing but the best from me. I have a certain amount of pride giving it to him."

He could not prevent the smile her words caused, so he tempered it with words of his own. "Okay, then, will this tip your opinion in my favor?"

Horatio kissed her, dipping into an endlessly burning fire of passion. He knew it was unfair of him, but he loved the feel of Calleigh against him. Kissing her only guaranteed the physical closeness that their relationship did not cover - yet.

Without even realizing it, they had deepened the kiss without regard for where they were. Consequences be damned, they were beyond caring who saw. Eventually, a well-meaning knock intruded into their pleasure fog. Whoever it had been was gone, disappeared down the hall, but both Horatio and Calleigh placed bets on Alexx.

Calleigh leaned against him, eyes still closed, chewing her bottom lip. Horatio brought a hand up to cup the subtle jaw line of her face, rubbing his thumb to draw the lip out. It stopped her from torturing it but not from torturing Horatio as she replaced her lip with his thumb. Suddenly, he was glad for the solid support of the table that braced him.

Calleigh smiled triumphantly and straightened her posture.

"I give as good as I get," she said.

"Tease." Horatio nearly growled the word, and it told her everything she needed to know.

In a pseudo act of contrition, she nuzzled her face into his neck and made no attempt to soften her resolution.

"As much as I want to, Handsome, I would feel guilty leaving right now."

"Compromise?" He angled his head in hope.

"One hour and you can convince me again." She fell so completely for the full smile he bestowed upon her.

While he waited, he leafed through her other reports, lingering inside her lab. He easily could have chosen to wait in his office, but he had no desire to see the accumulation of paper on his desk. With Calleigh, he weighed his priorities differently and preferred not to shift back into the man he once was. Besides, he had plans tonight, which relied on his ability to convince Calleigh to play hooky with him this one Friday afternoon.

In his pocket, his jeweled creation preyed upon his mind. It distracted him, teased him, with its perfection. As far as he was concerned, only perfection could own another form of itself, so he had to quench the urge to view it in comparison to Calleigh, the real priceless jewel of his life. Slowly, the last minutes of his life as a bachelor ticked away.

  


***** ***** *****  
© RK 14.Nov.2003


	3. Twilight Proposal

Disclaimer: It's been a year; hopefully by now everybody knows _CSI: Miami_ does not belong to me.

Author's Note: Wow; a year simply flies by, doesn't it? I missed two deadlines and had a Douglas Adams moment. I will always send my deepest regards to Mr. Hathaway, b8kworm, and SunMee; your collective support means the world to me. So many new friends have been made this year, however, the triad, in particular, must be named: Marianne, kdeb, and Andrea. Finally, I always intended to do a follow up to Nights Under, so here goes. So many, many thanks to Marianne! You rock my world to infinity. Finally, I love my betas.

Summary: If anything, the moment for turning back was six months ago when he gave her the choice to meet him for dinner. For him, his choice had been made the moment he walked up to Calleigh in the club.

Rating: R

Archive(s): Evidence of Things Unseen, Lonely Road, mine. Anybody else, email me; I like to go visiting.

Pairing(s): Horatio/Calleigh

Spoiler(s): None that I'm aware of.

Must read _Nights Under the Full Jazz Moon_ first.

***** ***** ***** 

Title: Full Moon Promises

Author: Laeta  
Email: ladylaeta@yahoo.com

  


Chapter 3: Twilight Proposal

True to both their words, Horatio convincingly persuaded Calleigh to agree to this abbreviated day. They walked together into the late afternoon sun, squinting simultaneously as the full force of the light hit unaccustomed eyes. Habit directed their steps towards the parking area, and Horatio did his very best to hide the grin he wore at Calleigh's surprise as she noticed the conspicuous lack of a Hummer.

"How'd you get here, Horatio?"

He gave up hiding his amusement and said as seriously as he could: "I walked."

The scoff she gave him was entirely worth the fist in his shoulder.

Then, Calleigh turned and led their redirection towards her car with a well practiced shake of her head. The smile fashioning her lips was hidden by the cascade of her hair, but Horatio's grin gave him away. It was clear that he knew exactly what her reaction was to his non-convincing innocent play on words.

Habit had him handing Calleigh into the driver's seat before he moved to the opposite side of the car. Meanwhile, she had the car started and windows rolled down to catch the sea breeze when Horatio settled into the passenger seat. There was no need for him to fiddle with the seat's sliding feature; it already was set to accommodate his height.

She turned expectantly towards him.

"So, Handsome, you've turned me into a delinquent. Where to now?"

Once again, he felt the deepest sensation of gratitude that followed any act of complete trust on her part. He gave her the half-smile she favored.

It took only a second for her to determine their destination; it was entirely in Horatio's delivery. There was only one place in all of Miami that warranted that particular uniqueness. Without a word, the white business card was drawn from a pocket and handed to her with its print facing downward.

In the fraction of time that it hovered between them, Calleigh felt a nervous anticipation run its course through her body. She had made him swear to keep that restaurant for special occasions, so it always would be a place of happy memories.

Horatio saw the hesitation, noted it, and watched as Calleigh brushed it away. Her fingers were steady when she reached towards the card and used two fingers to flip the printed side upwards for her perusal. The self-conscious smile barely caught in her eyes reassured him more than words ever could. His breath left his body when the smile reached her lips and utterly transformed her face from contemplation to the ready-for-anything grin she saved only for him.

Gently, she placed the card into the compartment between their seats and shifted the gears of the car from park to reverse and then to drive. Then, just before she concentrated on driving, Horatio found his hand in hers for a brief moment as they, literally, went into their future together.

***** 

He knew the restaurant was beautiful at full night, but it did not prepare him for the stunning arrangement of the outdoor eating area under the hazy late afternoon sun. Candles were replaced with small reflective mirrors that brought the sun from the west to the east and soothingly lit the tables.

The music was still that soft combination of jazz instruments, and he could not help his own reaction to it. Unbidden, the arousal and the memories heated Horatio's blood.

Calleigh did not help matters when she whispered against sensitized skin as they were led to their table. He cursed the laughing grin that told him she knew her words had not been processed by his brain.

The grin was still in place as she ordered for both of them, reversing their roles from their very first private dinner. Then, she proceeded to keep him engaged in inane conversation topics as they dined but not wined; she took pity on him there. It seemed as though Horatio's diminished mental capacity enabled Calleigh the freedom to openly flirt with him as she rarely ever did since she preferred the more subtle, simmering coy behavior. Either way, Horatio always arrived at the same conclusion: he was a fool to wait as long as he did.

Eventually, he managed to bring himself back under some semblance of control; he did not miss the amused grin from his life's partner when he began to return double edged entendres. Still, though, he could not help feeling a little out of character, uncomfortable in his own skin. He had no qualms about blaming the ring, which constantly remind him of its presence in his pocket.

They danced their dance to the soul wrenching melody of _Ever Since We Met_, and Horatio was comforted by the routine of it. Calleigh's nearness, ironically, now settled and calmed him; that was the moment he felt the anticipation suddenly morph into nervousness. The arousal inspired by the restaurant peaked behind the jitters that tingled his fingers and toes. He had to do it sooner or later, and at this very moment, he heartily vowed for sooner.

It left him spinning: just as the thought passed, Calleigh whisked them out of the restaurant proper and onto the beach. It was full twilight now and the start of that unique period when the sand was cool and the water was warm. Like six months ago, when they had the beach under the waning moon all to themselves, Horatio and Calleigh had the twilight stretch of sand for their own to experience.

She sat comfortably in the circle of his arms, leaned back against his body. He could see the contentment layering her face, and though her eyes were closed, he knew that her happiness went right to her soul. It did for him.

The simplest change in her breathing rate alerted Horatio that his twenty-four hours were now up.

"I know I said a full day, Horatio, but - what's going on?"

He did not speak a word; preferring to let his action shout louder and more eloquently than any prepared speech, he withdrew the small ring box from his pocket. A deft flick of his finger and the ring was bared to Calleigh's now questing gaze.

She executed a smooth quarter turn against the subtle friction of the sand and his body. Eyes were bright with disbelief and the future.

Horatio simply closed the distance between his lips and hers and whispered, "Traditional rules say I needed this before I could have you."

"It's beautiful."

"It's perfect. So are you."

"So, now's the right time?"

"If you'll still have me, sweetheart."

Her beaming smile broke through his tenuous hold on his hopes for the future. And, if he did not know her answer already, he had it with her next words.

"Good. I'll race you home. And this time, Handsome, you're not kicking me out. Never again, got it?"

Horatio's laughter marked the trail they used to the car.

  


***** ***** *****  
© RK 05.Jan.2004


	4. Elemental Synchrony

Disclaimer: It's been a year; hopefully by now everybody knows _CSI: Miami_ does not belong to me.

Laeta's Author's Note: I'm changing my note for this chapter solely because I need to tell everybody something. You're in for a major treat this chapter and the next. This chapter is my first collaboration in CSI: Miami. Marianne, you know how long this fic has been in the works, and thank you, thank you, thank you for your patience. I won't say a word about the scene because it just speaks for itselfl

Marianne's A/N: Laeta, as you know, I have wanted to work on a story with you ever since I read 'What He Lacked.' That the opportunity came to fruition is an honor to me. You see, your writing continually sets a standard I strive to meet in my own work. I am delighted and humbled to be a small part of this wonderful story. Thank you for the chance, dahling. You are a gifted writer, and, more importantly, a friend I treasure.

Summary: If anything, the moment for turning back was six months ago when he gave her the choice to meet him for dinner. For him, his choice had been made the moment he walked up to Calleigh in the club.

Rating: R

Archive(s): Evidence of Things Unseen, Lonely Road, mine. Anybody else, email me; I like to go visiting.

Pairing(s): Horatio/Calleigh

Spoiler(s): None that I'm aware of.

Must read _Nights Under the Full Jazz Moon_ first.

***** ***** ***** 

Title: Full Moon Promises

Author: Laeta & Marianne  
Email: ladylaeta@yahoo.com

  


Chapter 4: Elemental Synchrony

Horatio followed Calleigh on a path he had taken many times. Past the living room and rarely used dining room, they walked to the end of the hall. There was a mirror, which gave the illusion that the hallway was longer than actuality, which hid the door to Horatio's bedroom. Up the curved flight of stairs, Horatio and Calleigh stood in a familiar room, lit by the swollen sun's red hues and by the pale streams of the moon's reflection.

The room, itself, was the length of the house with a broad window at one end and balcony doors at the other. The walls were a deep brown, almost chocolaty, in coloring. Four floor lamps, in all the corners, lit the room in warm textures when Horatio flicked the switch. There was a natural wood floor laid under their feet; the polish and wax did nothing to hide the wear but that lent charm to the inviting room.

The furniture was dark wood - a long, low bureau, a beautifully ornate table for two and matching chairs, a soft armchair, and the bed. The bureau ran along the length of the nearest wall, accentuating the depth of the room. The tables and chairs set hugged the window and made a quaint spot for chess. The armchair sat by a corner lamp near the balcony doors. To its right was a bookcase, of the same wood, that was custom build and was filled to the brim with books. Candles decorated its top as well as dusty picture frames and a well-worn sketch pad.

Then there was the bed. Calleigh would have preferred it to be canopied, particularly in this lovely setting, but it boasted a large headboard. However, its charm was enhanced by the bench placed at its foot. At one time, the covers would have been ivory, but now it was a dusty charcoal color.

She had been inside many, many times before, but it felt like the first time for Horatio.

So he asked, "Are you feeling as nervous as I am, sweetheart?"

Calleigh turned in the middle of the room to face where he stood just inside the door. He clearly saw the amusement, and he realized it had been there since they left for the restaurant. Then, suddenly, nothing mattered anymore except her, beside him, when he awoke the following morning.

He reached inwards to the burning fire of passion that he effortlessly banked for two years until that dance in the club, which changed everything. Ever since, it took all his control simply to contain it in anticipation of this first night. The fire breathed confidence back into Horatio, made him wonder why he doubted himself and Calleigh's presence in the here and now.

If anything, the moment for turning back was six months ago when he gave her the choice to meet him for dinner. For him, his choice had been made the moment he walked up to Calleigh in the club.

She must have seen the fire's leap into his eyes; that was the only explanation she ever gave him for knowing when he was about to go beyond some inborn restraint. Then, she gave him the greatest gift of all - she gave herself to the fire burning inside of him:

"What do you want me to do?"

Horatio merely pointed to the balcony doors.

Calleigh laughed. "That's a real subtle way of telling me that it's going to get hot in here, Handsome."

He did not trust himself to respond. Instead, he let his wry chuckle loose and began to light the candles scattered throughout the room. She leaned, meanwhile, against the door jam, the night breeze lifting strands of hair as it flew through the room.

"Fire and water. You and me."

She walked up to him when he finished and gave her a questioning look. Hooking her arms around his neck, she let him take her weight.

"You don't even realize it, do you?" She leaned to speak into his ear. "Listen."

It took an effort to quiet the roar of his blood's flow through his body and the crackle of the fire in his soul. When he did, he heard the constant crash of the waves upon the shore; a sound he heard all his life that filled the silence of his home - before Calleigh's presence wanted the job.

As he turned to look outside to the open ocean, Horatio saw the fickle light of the myriad of candles. He eased Calleigh gently away from his body.

What he saw was the same amusement that pervaded her psyche throughout the evening.

"Fire and water, sweetheart?"

"Horatio, don't play dumb. It doesn't become you very well."

He laughed at her words, then lifted her completely off her feet and swung her in an exhilarating twirl.

"You win, my Pisces lover."

It took only seconds for her to melt at his words. He now supported all of her weight as her knees buckled before she managed to lock her joints together.

She pushed him away and glared at him. He received her message loud and clear: "That was not fair."

The appearance of a devilish gleam shining in her eyes was all the preparation time he had to throw up his defenses. They crumbled like dust when Calleigh stepped close and watched her hands as she ran light fingertips upward, from his abdomen to his chest. They were surprisingly delicate, her long, creamy fingertips, gliding against his skin, skin warmed by a thick, pounding pulse. Heat radiated through the air. It shimmered, wrapping itself around them in a tight, intimate cocoon.

"Fire and water, Horatio," she echoed his words, barely a murmur of sound that lifted the air between them. "But your fire won't hurt me. It will simply burn you into my soul. A branding of sorts. Ours alone."

Her hips moved against his body in an erotic flash of memory from their first night at the club. This time, he felt no hesitation in her body. She was warm against him, loose as water in her movements. Motions designed to drive a man to the brink and never return. This, at last, was their moment of physical and emotional reckoning. A full awakening to the heart as his self-imposed twenty-four hour sand glass expired.

And a lifetime replaced it.

  


***** ***** *****  
© RK 05.Jan.2004  
© Marmo 14.Jan.2004


	5. Seduction's Dance

Disclaimer: It's been a year; hopefully by now everybody knows _CSI: Miami_ does not belong to me.

Laeta's Author's Note: This chapter belongs entirely to Marianne. This is her baby. Please, enjoy. Effusive feedback to **her** inbox makes **me** happy.

Marianne's A/N: Laeta, as you know, I have wanted to work on a story with you ever since I read 'What He Lacked.' That the opportunity came to fruition is an honor to me. You see, your writing continually sets a standard I strive to meet in my own work. I am delighted and humbled to be a small part of this wonderful story. Thank you for the chance, dahling. You are a gifted writer, and, more importantly, a friend I treasure.

Summary: If anything, the moment for turning back was six months ago when he gave her the choice to meet him for dinner. For him, his choice had been made the moment he walked up to Calleigh in the club.

Rating: R

Archive(s): Evidence of Things Unseen, Lonely Road, mine. Anybody else, email me; I like to go visiting.

Pairing(s): Horatio/Calleigh

Spoiler(s): None that I'm aware of.

Must read _Nights Under the Full Jazz Moon_ first.

***** ***** ***** 

Title: Full Moon Promises

Author: Marianne  
Email: ladylaeta@yahoo.com

  


Chapter 5: Seduction's Dance

Properly and fully enticed, Horatio's hands closed about her body, drawing her even closer to his; his lips found her neck and she opened up to him. He drank in the sweetness of satin that he found there and she discovered just how sensitive his ears were.

In a lover's dance, she moved coyly away, toward the bed. She unfastened the buttons of her jeans. She left the opening enticingly opened, to beckon him further; but she refused to peel the now cloying material from her body. That honor belonged to Horatio.

At the proper time, of course ---

She untucked her blouse, slowly undid the buttons of her pink cotton blouse. That article of clothing she allowed to glide from her shoulders and drift to the floor in careless disregard. Then, she turned her back to him, unfastening her bra. She slipped the straps down her shoulders and removed the garment so that it, too, joined the growing pile. She turned back around to him, now bared to his impassioned perusal from the waist up.

Lust hit him, white hot and consuming. He *needed* to touch her. *Had* to touch her.

Ever stalwart, he refused that impulse for the time being, allowing his feelings, his emotions, to build to a heart filling crescendo.

They had never relied much on verbalization; the connection between them ran far too deep and potent for such triviality as mere words. On instinct, Calleigh answered his unspoken call. She spoke not a word, but gestured with her eyes, with the tilt of her head, with body language, saying clearly into the ripe, building silence: "Come here."

Knowing and awareness took on a vibration that hummed between them. Horatio held to one goal alone - taking this moment with Calleigh to be completely lavish with both his body and his heart.

Horatio walked up to her in a slow circle, tucking into her body from behind. He wrapped himself around her like the misty smoke of candlelight that danced and swirled, curving and evaporating in a most erotic, captivating display.

Calleigh tipped her head back, until it rested on his shoulder. Her eyes fluttered closed. Horatio moved his hands unhesitatingly into the opening of her slacks; he came upon satin, hot flesh, soft curls of hair. Slipping lower still, he contacted humid, moist skin that reacted to his touch, quivering against him, releasing itself in a seductive, creamy preparation.

Deeper, his mind called. Search her more deeply and claim her as your own; take her. Take her fully into your body and soul until there is no difference between her body and yours, her spirit and yours.

Primitive thoughts assailed him, a call to be one; a consuming ache overtook his indomitable mind.

Encouraging him further, Calleigh opened her legs, pushed her hips forward in welcome, but her knees went weak. Horatio, again, took on her weight as his own. Shadows danced on the walls, echoed sensuous movements as bodies blended from two to one with nothing between them but love released.

Taking his time, watching her face, capturing each flicker of emotion she revealed into a spot of his mind's most precious memories, Horatio allowed his hands to push down, working away those final cloth barriers of hers to expose her intimately. He moved before her now, and ended at a crouch near her feet, where he came upon an obstacle. Calleigh smiled at him - a knowing, womanly smile - recognizing his problem at once.

"Give me a second to help," she murmured softly, her voice husky and affected.

Looking into his eyes the whole while, Calleigh held on to his shoulders. First one chunky-heeled leather shoe, then its twin, was slowly nudged away.

Horatio smiled in turn, disposing of her slacks, thoroughly caressing her ankles, her calves, her thighs and hips as he rose to a standing position once more. He could not keep his eyes from performing a devouring visualization of her. Her breasts fascinated him. Round and firm, they were highlighted by perfect, pebbled tips. In the course of his continuing exploration, he cupped them gently, molding them to the palm of his hand, stroking each tip with tender swipes of his thumbs.

Horatio bit back his breath, fighting every inch of the way for some semblance of control.

Calleigh recognized the reaction of his body in the taut swell of his length, now outlined in stark relief against his slacks. She could not help it - the woman in her absolutely glowed in realizing the depth her power over this amazing, captivating man.

She allowed no restraint, sliding her hands firmly, repeatedly against him until Horatio's groan of need cut the silence. She worked his shirt free, unzipped his pants to eliminate the barrier of touching him skin to skin. His eyes narrowed, glazing with desire.

When she divested him of his lower clothing, he filled her hands and she continued her tender ministrations. Calleigh stroked and petted, cupping him, caressing with a hunger that was blatant - unrepentant. He moved against her, straining at her touch.

Remaining constraints - a shirt, shoes, socks - became part of the tossed-about floor décor.

He bridged the slight distance between them by reaching out to her once more. With reverence, he touched her mouth, tracing her lower lip very slowly and lightly with a fingertip. It became his favorite texture, his favorite shape to explore. Calleigh closed her eyes and sighed.

A half-smile warming his features, Horatio caressed her neck, slowly taking hold, to keep her still and steady. His head came low and he claimed her mouth in a motion that was smooth and utterly possessive.

That is when Horatio let go and surrendered the fight. He devoured her mouth like a man possessed. He was wide open, moist and heady of flavor, texture. Calleigh welcomed him readily, answering his hunger with her own - positively nothing held back. He hauled her body up against his, lifting her off her feet with no effort whatsoever.

With Calleigh's body entwined perfectly against his, Horatio tumbled them recklessly onto the bed. They rolled and tossed, pinning each other playfully, nipping and touching and tasting. Horatio tussled her into place beneath him, desire, at long and heavenly last, allowed to ravage a mind steadfast in its discipline and selfless control.

He did not wait to enjoin himself to her. She was ready for their coupling, that fact he already realized plainly. In fact, she wound her legs tight around him, crying out for the union her body now craved. So, Horatio entered her body and thrust deeply home.

All was said, was done, on instinct alone.

Their ever-present, unspoken connection, at last, was embraced and allowed its deepest fulfillment. Confronting their truest selves released that bond, setting it free to its most powerful, uninhibited degrees.

Besides, a lack of restraint could never have detracted from the images of Calleigh that Horatio captured as his own. He held her wrists next to her head, stroked her soft, creamy arms with reverence and love as his guide. Moonlight caused her eyes to sparkle as it spilled across his bed - their bed now, Horatio rejoiced. Her hair, like golden strands of silk, poured temptingly through his loose fingertips when he combed through it and cupped her face between his hands.

Together mouths fused. Head to head, fiery red met luminous gold - fire and its light perfectly combined. His tongue swept through her mouth, greedy, consuming. Calleigh was not timid to any part of his claiming. In fact, she answered with the whole of her being, grazing his teeth, slipping into his senses with her exotic flavor as she answered his kiss in kind with a deeply expressed probe of her own.

Meanwhile, through the very atmosphere itself, from sea-waves to heated bodies moving, the tempo and rhythm of their lovemaking built, overtaking them unaware, building to a point that it became too late to stem the tide, or hold back the power of the cataclysm to come.

Climax swept through him like a rolling heat wave. The more elemental, emotional response took him by utter surprise. It began with the hot sting of tears he could not suppress. He poured into her, weak, drained of everything in life except beauty and the incredible power of Calleigh's radiance - a radiance that still echoed through his system, Horatio crumbled against her, sinking helplessly against the soft, pliant length of her body.

Like the spent lover he had become.

Transported, completely overwhelmed, Calleigh rode out the beat of their orgasm, answering his body's call with her own release. She squeezed tightly around him, taking him in, unwilling to relinquish him, driving Horatio as deeply into her body as she could, holding him tight with arms, legs and heart.

The balcony doors remained open to the night, to the moon, and sea and scents of the cooling night. The soothing caress of a breeze skirted seductively into the room they shared and a distant waterfront masked their unbidden cries of surrender.

  


***** ***** *****  
© Marmo 14.Jan.2004


	6. Charcoal Creations

Disclaimer: It's been a year; hopefully by now everybody knows _CSI: Miami_ does not belong to me.

Author's Note: Wow; a year simply flies by, doesn't it? I missed two deadlines and had a Douglas Adams moment. I will always send my deepest regards to Mr. Hathaway, b8kworm, and SunMee; your collective support means the world to me. So many new friends have been made this year, however, the triad, in particular, must be named: Marianne, kdeb, and Andrea. Finally, I always intended to do a follow up to Nights Under, so here goes. So many, many thanks to Marianne! You rock my world to infinity. Finally, I love my betas.

Summary: If anything, the moment for turning back was six months ago when he gave her the choice to meet him for dinner. For him, his choice had been made the moment he walked up to Calleigh in the club.

Rating: R

Archive(s): Evidence of Things Unseen, Lonely Road, mine. Anybody else, email me; I like to go visiting.

Pairing(s): Horatio/Calleigh

Spoiler(s): None that I'm aware of.

Must read _Nights Under the Full Jazz Moon_ first.

***** ***** ***** 

Title: Full Moon Promises

Author: Laeta  
Email: ladylaeta@yahoo.com

  


Chapter 6: Charcoal Creations

It was nearly dawn when passions abated long enough for a quieter sort of conversation. They lay on the bed, facing east having already bid farewell to their guardian moon.

Calleigh's newly acquired ring gleamed spiritedly in the breaking dawn light. Her jeweled hand rested over his heart and Horatio lifted it, bringing it to his lips where he bestowed a kiss.

"Do you realize that you're a bullet to my heart, Calleigh?"

"Hmm?"

He turned in the circle of her arms to face her. Tracing the delicate structures that haunted so many of his nights, he smiled. Curling his hand more completely around hers, he brought their joined hands to rest against his chest.

"Every time you see me, every time you talk to me, every time you're with me, I want you to remember that this ring points directly to me.

She focused on the glimmering emerald fashioned in a conical shape, which topped a tiny gold cylinder. Horatio's initial plans had the cylinder upright, but, for ease of manufacturing, it lay on its side. The overall effect was a gem tipped bullet that directed its flight directly to Horatio's heart.

"Horatio -"

"I don't mean to tease you about your interest in ballistics, sweetheart. If it weren't for that, I probably wouldn't have met you. I just wanted to give you a reminder that, although things may seem that you give yourself to me whenever we make love, you have my heart to take care of. It's fragile, you know."

She nodded, not daring to say a word. He was weaving a spell about her senses.

"Try not to break it; you'll end up killing me. I guess that's what I'm trying to say."

"How about we make a deal, right now?" She pushed him slowly onto his back and followed by sliding atop his body. Straddling his chest with her knees, she lifted her hair to settle over one shoulder before reaching towards the bedside table.

Horatio preempted her by reaching himself for the framed sketch sitting in a position of honor there. It was the image that had started it all for Horatio. It had delivered him to Calleigh that memorable night and, now, it called her to itself.

They studied the image together: Horatio in fascination and Calleigh in thoughtful speculation. The flash of her ready-for-anything grin easily took his breath away when she finally elaborated.

"I'll promise to never break your heart and you promise to let me emulate this sketch."

"Calleigh, that's not a fair deal."

"Really? So you don't want to prove to me that reality will beat out any fantasy?"

Horatio blinked a few times in speechless disbelief, and the wicked glint in her eyes swept him into a realm of passion never before felt. As his mind rapidly raced to follow his body to that state, he submitted to Calleigh's deal. They both knew that there was nothing he would ever do to oppose her.

"Close your eyes, Horatio."

The breath following her whispered words became a distant breeze of a newly remembered recollection. A delicate shifting of skin against skin told of secrets hidden by satin curtains and propriety. Scents drifted lazily on air currents; the salt from the ocean and the smell of Calleigh's shampoo intermingled in an enticing dance as they slipped past each other - one on its way indoors, the other in the opposite direction.

"Horatio! Stop squirming."

His eyelids flew open, and Horatio inhaled once and forgot to exhale.

Lying flat on his back, with Calleigh hovered above him, and the fragile dawn lit pale skin. Hair askew just that way and gently waving from the circulating air of the ceiling fan, his mouth dried while each non-essential function of his body shut down - one by one. The only thing left to show that he still lived was the blood pounding at all the visible pulse points throughout his body.

The vision she created was a three-dimensional replica of the charcoal sketch he drew on a whim one very, very late night. It was a fantasy conception of a moment of pure intimacy. He could not reconcile how perfectly she imitated the pose her two-dimensional image struck and held with such precision.

She grinned at him, clearly enjoying the speechless quality of his reaction.

"Breathe, Horatio. Remember to breathe."

Calleigh resuscitated him with a kiss and stole his breath back again with the next slanting of her lips against his. He reversed their positions easily and she savored the desperateness of his kiss.

He tucked his face against her neck and fought away from the primitive beat of his blood. She soothed him, running her hands through his hair and massaging his shoulders.

"Calleigh?" Her name never sounded more breathless to her.

"Yeah."

"Please, don't ever do that to me again."

Enjoying his predicament to no end, she laughed at him. She pushed him away from her body and asked, "What'd I do? You're the one who thought that up."

He shook his head. "No, you did. First, you haunt my dreams with that pose until I get you out by drawing it. And now - I'll never forget the reality."

"So, what is it, Handsome? Reality or fantasy."

"Nothing ever comes close to reality. Sweetheart, you're just perfect that way."

  


***** ***** *****  
© RK 13.Jan.2004


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